High Minds: The Victorians and the Birth of Modern Britain

In 1840, Britain was racked by poverty, unrest and the fear of revolution. By 1880 it was a confident, prosperous nation, transformed not just by industrialization but by new attitudes to politics, science, education, women and the working class. This history explores the role of politicians such as Peel and Gladstone, and reformers such as Millicent Garret Fawcett, Octavia Hill and William Booth in this transformation, creating a panoramic view of the extraordinary era that gave birth to modern Britain.